Dajin

Overview

Dajin was a member of the Majia clan in the early Qing Dynasty, belonging to the Plain White Banner's bondservant class. His family had lived in Suifen for generations, and the exact time of his submission is unknown. He once served as a *muchang* (herd-management officer). The official clan genealogy of the Qianlong era, *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, Volume 7, records that his son, Mucheng'e, was a fourth-rank official who, due to his diligence, was granted the title of Yunqiwei (a military rank), later inherited by his grandson, Wushi. Another grandson, Abula, served as Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

bondservant were a group with specific affiliations within the banner system and cannot be equated with ordinary employees in modern times. The headman of a herdsman was involved in pastoral management; the *Draft History of the Qing Dynasty* lists this position in the Imperial Stables system, but the original text did not specify the agency to which Dajin belonged, and therefore did not directly assign him an official position or later rank in the Imperial Stables. The fourth-rank official title was only given to Mucheng'e; a specific official title could not be arbitrarily assigned.

The Yunqiwei was a hereditary title that could be inherited. This conferment was based on diligence and should not be indiscriminately attributed to military achievements in a particular battle. Wushi's inheritance does not indicate that he succeeded Dajin as headman of a herdsman. The Guanglu Temple was involved in sacrificial rites, banquets, and other catering affairs. The Qing (Qing) was the head of the temple, belonging to a separate administrative service system. Suifen refers to the family's historical ancestral home, not a confirmed village in modern Suifenhe City; the term of office of Dajin, the affiliation of his bondservant status, and the complete paternal lineage of his grandchildren still need verification.